Albus Dumbledore
Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian DumbledoreHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Chapter Eight - The Hearing) (Pronounced AL-bus PUR-suh-vuhl WUHL-frick BRY-uhn DUHM-buhl-dohr) (1881 - 1997) was a half-blood wizard and the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Biography Early life Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was born in July 1881 to the pure-blood wizard Percival Dumbledore and his wife Kendra in the mainly Muggle village of Mould-on-the-Wold. Hogwarts career Dumbledore began attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry on 1 September, 1892, and almost immediately became acquainted with Elphias Doge, one of the only wizards on the train to do so; everyone else had been scared away by Doge's greenish complexion and pockmarks, which both had been caused by dragon pox - Chapter 2 (In Memoriam). Dumbledore, on his part, came to school under unwanted notoriety due to his father's actions the year before. He assured those who asked that he knew his father to be guilty, but refused to say anything more on the subject, and looked with disdain on those who tried to praise his father's actions. After only a short time, however, Dumbledore gathered his own fame, and by the end of his first year, he would be known as nothing more or less than the most brilliant student to ever cross the threshold of the prestigious school. He had won every prize and award of note, and had always been generous with his help; he knew even then that his greatest pleasure lay in teaching. Not only did he win every prize the school had to offer, but he soon fell into regular correspondence with such notable names as Bathilda Bagshot, Adalbert Waffling and Nicolas Flamel. Several of his papers made it into such learned publications as Transfiguration Today, Challenges in Charming and The Practical Potioneer, and for most the only question in Dumbledore's future was when he would become the next Minister for Magic. He had been the Head Boy, Prefect, Winner of the Barnabus Finkley Prize for Exceptional Spell-Casting, British Youth Representative to the Wizengamot and the Gold Medal-Winner for Ground-Breaking Contribution to the International Alchemical Conference in Cairo - Chapter 18 (The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore). Post-graduation When Dumbledore left Hogwarts, he planned to take a Grand Tour (a traditional year-long global sabbatical to sight-see in foreign countries and witness foreign wizards) with his friend Elphias Doge, before the two each went their separate ways. They were staying at the Leaky Cauldron early that July when tragedy intervened: a letter came announcing the death of Kendra Dumbledore. Albus returned home as the head and sole breadwinner of the family. However, he did not do much leading, and indeed was rarely, if ever, seen in the public eye. He allowed his brother Aberforth to run wild, throwing goat dung at the neighbours while he ensured his sister Ariana stayed locked up. That very summer, Gellert Grindelwald came to stay with his aunt Bathilda Bagshot after he was expelled from Durmstrang Institute for practicing Dark Magic. Bathilda introduced Grindelwald to Albus, and the two almost immediately became best of friends. The two would spend all day talking, and then would write letters at night, too impatient to share ideas to wait until morning. This carried on for about a month, before it was almost time for Aberforth to return to school; he had had enough of his sister being neglected while his brother locked himself in his room with the strange foreigner and hatched plans for world domination - Chapter 28 (The Missing Mirror). Aberforth confronted Albus and Grindelwald and demanded that they take better care of Ariana; Grindelwald used the Cruciatus Curse on Aberforth, and Albus intervened; soon, there was a three-way duel going on, spells raging all over. Ariana emerged from the dark cellar, determined to help, but got caught in the cross-fire; nobody was entirely sure who was responsible, and both brothers spent the rest of their lives tormented by the miserable, horrible possibility that either one of them might have been the one who killed their sister. First war Late war In mid-October 1981, James showed Dumbledore his Invisibility Cloak, an artefact Dumbledore was immensely curious about - Chapter 35 (King's Cross). He requested that he be allowed to take the cloak with him, a request that was granted; shortly thereafter, Dumbledore was devastated to learn that James and Lily had died, feeling that it was his fault, that having the invisibility cloak would have helped better protect them. Physical appearance Dumbledore had extremely long silver hair and beard, and twinkling blue eyes under half-moon spectacles. He was very pale and wrinkled, due to his immense age. He weighed one hundred and sixty-eight pounds. Personality and traits Dumbledore was extremely brilliant, skilled and talented - New From J. K. Rowling - Colours, something even his enemy Voldemort, who regularly scolded him, was quick to note - Chapter 1 (Spinner's End). He was idealised by the wizarding world, but was also somewhat detached. Etymology *''Albus'' means white; the name was chosen to represent asceticism. *''Dumbledore'' is an old English word meaning bumblebee; it suits Albus quite well, as he is fond of music and regularly wanders about humming to himself1999 Interview. Behind the scenes *Dumbledore's entire family were a profitable line of inquiry, but he also had access to superb teachersJKR Interview. *As Dumbledore was approaching his birthday on 3rd July, and yet was eighteen by the time of Grindelwald's departure on 3 August, he must logically have been born between 5th July (the day he met Grindelwald) and 31 July; as he was very near to his birthday on 3rd July, it can logically be assumed that the birthday was at least a week from there, and thus should be no later than 10 July. Therefore, it can be stated that his birthday was between 5 July and 10 July. *OWLs take place from 4 June to 17 June, and as they had not yet started when Dumbledore died, but he definitely died in June, Dumbledore must consequently have died between 1 June and 3 June. Appearances *''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' *''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)'' *''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'' *''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)'' *''Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'' *''Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)'' *''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' *''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'' *''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' *''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' *''Pottermore'' Notes and references Category:Males Category:Wizards Category:Gryffindors Category:Deceased Category:Half-bloods Category:Order of the Phoenix Category:Spell inventors Category:Headmasters